Water Resources Condition of China
2 min readThe total water resources in China are 2810 billion m3.Based on the calculated population and farmland in 1997，water resources per capita is 2200 m3，only 1/4 of the world’s average.It is predicted that in the year 2030，if the populatio reaches 1.6 billion in China，water resources per capita will be only 1700 mm，which reaches the warning criterion of water shortage recognized worldwide，waterresources per mu will be 1900 m3，equivalent to 4/5 of the world’s average.
Water and land resources are not only insufficient in total amount，but also are unevenly distributed，i.e.with sufficient water and insufficient land in the South but sufficient land and insufficient water in the North.80.4%of water resources in China is distributed in the Changjiang River（Yangtze river）basin and to the south of it.However，this area has 53.5%of the population，35.2%of the farmland and54.8%of GDP of the whole country.In this area，water resources is 3480 m3 per capita and 4300 m3 per mu，this area is characterized by populous people，insufficient land，well-developed economy and relatively rich water resources.
The Northern part to the Changjiang River lives 44.4%of the population，owns 59.2%of the farmland，43.4%of GDP，but only 14.7%of water resources of the whole country.In this area，the average water resources is 747 m3 per capita，471 m3 per mu，which is characterized by populous people，sufficient land，moderately developed economy，but scarce water resources.In particular the Huanghe River（Yellow River），the Huaihe River and the Haihe River basins are most outstanding.Although the total area of the three river basins owns 39.4%of the farmland，34.7%of the population and 32.4%of the GDP，but only 7.7%of water resources of the whole country.In these three river basins，average water resources is only 500 m3 per capita and lessthan 400 m3 per mu.This area suffers the most serious contradiction of water demandversus supply and most serious unmatched condition of water resources with economic and social development.
A11 the Chinese big rivers flow from west to east，being separated form each other by divides.Up to now，a complete water net system has not been established which allows perfect allocation and regulation of water resources.Flooding/water logging in the South and drought in the North remain being the hidden disasters of the Chinese nationality.
Water and land resources are very unbalanced.Along with the growth of population and the economic development，the contradiction between water supply anddemand will become more and more acute，the ecological envrionment will become more and more worsened.These will not only hinder the normal development of the North，but also affect the sustainable economic and social development of the whole country.Thus the implementation of water diversion across the river basins is acritical measure for guaranteeing a sustainable development in the new century.
